The head of Austria: it is necessary to conduct a dialogue with Russia, and not to heat up the atmosphere

The Federal head of Austria Heinz Fischer said that Russia ought to have a dialogue, and not to heat up the atmosphere.

Its position on the problems of international policy, Fisher said in the interview. The journal emphasizes that Fisher was criticized after a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Vienna in 2014, and advocated a "more balanced" and "relaxed" stance of Austria towards Russia as a long tradition of Austrian neutrality.

"We believe that it is much better to conduct a dialogue with Russia, than again to heat up the atmosphere," said Fisher. He also explained that since then, as Soviet troops were withdrawn from Austria in 1955, Vienna had no negative experience in dealing with Moscow.

Fisher explained that "upgraded" and "non-ideological" neutrality is a solid basis for the external policy of Austria.

Relations between Russia and the West deteriorated in connection with the situation in Ukraine. At the end of July 2014, the EU and the US said the penalties against entire sectors of the Russian economy. In response Russia in the last month of the summer of 2014 limited the import of food items from countries that have imposed against her punishment. At the end of June 2015, the authorities decided to extend the ban until August 5, 2016, and August 6, 2015 entered into force the decree of the President of the Russian Federation on disposal of prohibited import items during the food embargo.